Memorandum on Corporate Structure and Other Information on the Kaiser Corporation and the Oregon Shipbuilding Company

TO: Mr. George M. Johnson

FROM: Clarence M. Mitchell

SUBJECT: Corporate Structure and Other Information on the Kaiser Corporation and the Oregon Shipbuilding Company.

October 21, 1943

These yards are building ships for the Maritime Commission. The following information was obtained from the records in the office of the Clerk of the Oregon District Federal Court in Portland:

Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation,
a corporation
and Kaiser Company, Inc.
a corporation
                     Plaintiff
      v.
National Labor Relations Board;
Harry A. Millis individually
and as a member and as chairman
of the National Labor Relations Board; Gerard D. Reilly individually and as a Member of the National Labor Relations Board; William Leiserson individually and as a member of the National Labor
Relations Board; and R.N. Denham individually and as a trial examiner for the National Labor Relations Board.

Defendants

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 Civil No. 1744,

Complaint
I

Plaintiff Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation (Hereinafter referred to as the “Oregon Company”) is a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware.

Plaintiff Kaiser Company, Inc. (Hereinafter referred to as the “Kaiser Company”), is a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of Nevada.

The complaint sought to restrain the N.L.R.B. from holding a hearing but Judge James Alger Fee, district Judge ruled: “The motion for a restraining order is denied, the motion to dismiss is granted.”

Mr. Kaiser’s deposition was as follows:

Edgar F. Kaiser, being duly sworn on oath deposes and says:

“He is vice president of Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation one of the above named plaintiffs; that he has read the foregoing complaints, knows the facts set forth.” This was signed by Mr. Kaiser Jan. 10, 1943 as Vice President of Oregon Ship.

An affidavit from Harry P. Morton in the case reads as follows:

“I, Harry P. Morton, being first duly sworn, do say upon oath as follows: I reside at Orinda, in Contra Costa County, State of California. I am Vice President and Industrial Relations Counsel of Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation and am also Industrial Relations Counsel for Kaiser Company, Inc.

“I act as attorney and counsel for the said corporations in matters affecting labor relations and policy thereof. I conduct negotiation with labor organizations with respect to conditions of employment of workmen employed by the said corporations, negotiating for settlement of major grievances and participate on behalf of plaintiff corporations in conferences with respect to industrial labor relations.”

It is my suggestion that one of the lawyers will want to interview Mr. Morton concerning negotiations with labor unions on the subject of clearance of Negro workers.

See the headnote on the Shipbuilding Industry and the Boilermakers Union for cross-references to the other memoranda in this series and for background.

MS: copy, HqR8, Office Files of Frank D. Reeves. (Q–Z), Report on Field Investigations, Mitchell.

Additional Details

Object Type:

Memorandum

Manuscript Type:

Copy

Volume:

Volume 1 (1942-1943)

Volume Page Number:

132-133

Source:

Office Files of Frank D. Reeves, Trial Attorney. Dec. 1942-Aug. 1945

Source Variation:

HqR8, Office Files of Frank D. Reeves. (Q-Z), Report on Field Investigations, Mitchell.